Psalm 5:1-6 “For the Chief Musician, with the flutes. A Psalm by David. Give ear to my words, LORD. Consider my meditation. Listen to the voice of my cry, my King and my God, for I pray to you. LORD, in the morning you will hear my voice. In the morning I will lay my requests before you, and will watch expectantly. For you are not a God who has pleasure in wickedness. Evil can’t live with you. The arrogant will not stand in your sight. You hate all workers of iniquity. You will destroy those who speak lies. The LORD abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.”

God is Lord (Israel’s personal name for God), and God is king. God is the one who is in control and who can help, which is why we bring our cares and concerns to Him. Although the WEB has “meditation” here, “groaning” is probably better. Groaning implies spiritual weariness and disquiet. Have you ever awakened in the morning upset about your personal circumstances, or distressed because of a dream, or agitated because you have something unpleasant later in the day? We need to pray and look forward to how God will answer those prayers. But beyond that, we should pray every day, because it puts everything in perspective. We remind ourselves that God is in charge. That we are His creation. That He expects us to live a certain way. That he wants us to be humble, kind, truthful, and gracious. Acknowledging God at the beginning of our day gets us started on the right foot!

For additional worship: When Morning Guilds the Skies (Stacey Plays Hymns)

Psalm 4:1-8 “For the Chief Musician; on stringed instruments. A Psalm by David. Answer me when I call, God of my righteousness. Give me relief from my distress. Have mercy on me, and hear my prayer. You sons of men, how long shall my glory be turned into dishonor? Will you love vanity and seek after falsehood? Selah. But know that the LORD has set apart for himself him who is godly; The LORD will hear when I call to him. Stand in awe, and don’t sin. Search your own heart on your bed, and be still. Selah. Offer the sacrifices of righteousness. Put your trust in the LORD. Many say, “Who will show us any good?” LORD, let the light of your face shine on us. You have put gladness in my heart, more than when their grain and their new wine are increased. In peace I will both lay myself down and sleep, for you alone, LORD, make me live in safety.”

Psalm 3:5 is in the past tense, signifying a morning prayer, and Psalm 4:8 seems to indicate that this is an evening prayer. Psalm 4 is a prayer asking God for help. David still has people after him even though he is God’s anointed king! David is confident that God will hear Him, because he is God’s: “the LORD has set apart for himself him who is godly.” He will not allow his anger at his persecutors to be his undoing, because he trusts in God: “Stand in awe, and don’t sin.” He is also humble and recognizes that God answering prayer is a result of grace: “Have mercy on me, and hear my prayer.” David will be glad and experience peace because of God’s faithfulness, and the unrighteous will learn they shouldn’t underestimate God or His servants!

We too can have confidence that God hears us, because we are His!

1 Peter 3:12 “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears open to their prayer; but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

Hebrews 4:16 “Let’s therefore draw near with boldness to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace for help in time of need.”

But we don’t take that for granted:

Luke 18:9-14 “He also spoke this parable to certain people who were convinced of their own righteousness, and who despised all others: ‘Two men went up into the temple to pray; one was a Pharisee, and the other was a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed by himself like this: “God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of men: extortionists, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week. I give tithes of all that I get.” But the tax collector, standing far away, wouldn’t even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!” I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.’”

For additional worship: Psalm 4 (When I Call) by The Psalms Project [feat. Melissa Breems]

Note: There are different ways that Psalm 4:4 can be translated; either “Stand in awe and don’t sin,” or “Be angry and don’t sin.” The word in Hebrew means “to tremble” or “to be agitated.” Ephesians 4:26 could be referring to this verse or could actually be referencing Psalm 37:8.

Psalm 3:1-8 “A Psalm by David, when he fled from Absalom his son. LORD, how my adversaries have increased! Many are those who rise up against me. Many there are who say of my soul, “There is no help for him in God.” Selah. But you, LORD, are a shield around me, my glory, and the one who lifts up my head. I cry to the LORD with my voice, and he answers me out of his holy hill. Selah. I laid myself down and slept. I awakened, for the LORD sustains me. I will not be afraid of tens of thousands of people who have set themselves against me on every side. Arise, LORD! Save me, my God! For you have struck all of my enemies on the cheek bone. You have broken the teeth of the wicked. Salvation belongs to the LORD. May your blessing be on your people. Selah.”

The text in bold is considered the superscription. The superscription is not counted as one of the verses and gives details about the setting, author, and nature of the Psalm. While some argue about their authenticity, the superscriptions are a part of every Hebrew manuscript of the Bible that we have, and I believe that they should be considered original.

The superscription here gives us some context to the Psalm. Absalom wants to take over the kingdom, and he has help (2 Samuel 15-18). David is fleeing, and some take that to mean that God has forsaken him. In the midst of this, David continues to express faith and trust in God. He cries out to God in his trouble because he trusts that God hears him, sustains him, and will save him.

Do you understand that salvation can only be found in God? When you cry out to Him is it because you have a personal relationship with Him through Jesus Christ? Do you trust that He is with you? That He sustains you? That He can save you? While we understand that he can save us in this life and sometimes does, our greatest joy comes from knowing that death, hell, Satan, and the grave have already been defeated!

For additional worship: “A Morning Psalm” by Isaac Watts

O Lord, how many are my foes,
In this weak state of flesh and blood!
My peace they daily discompose,
But my defence and hope is God.

Tired with the burdens of the day,
To thee I raised an evening cry:
Thou heard’st when I began to pray,
And thine almighty help was nigh.

Supported by thine heav’nly aid,
I laid me down, and slept secure:
Not death should make my heart afraid,
Though I should wake and rise no more.

But God sustained me all the night:
Salvation doth to God belong;
He raised my head to see the light,
And make his praise my morning song.

Note: While the exact meaning of Selah is unknown, it is believed to denote a pause, silence, or an interlude in the Psalm.

Psalm 2:7-12 “I will tell of the decree: The LORD said to me, ‘You are my son. Today I have become your father. Ask of me, and I will give the nations for your inheritance, the uttermost parts of the earth for your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron. You shall dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.’ Now therefore be wise, you kings. Be instructed, you judges of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Give sincere homage to the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish on the way, for his wrath will soon be kindled. Blessed are all those who take refuge in him.”

The New Testament makes plain who this passage is ultimately pointing to:

Hebrews 1:5 “For to which of the angels did he say at any time, ‘You are my Son. Today I have become your father?’ and again, ‘I will be to him a Father, and he will be to me a Son?’”

Hebrews 5:5 “Nobody takes this honor on himself, but he is called by God, just like Aaron was. So also Christ didn’t glorify himself to be made a high priest, but it was he who said to him, ‘You are my Son. Today I have become your father.’”

It makes the last words more ominous: “Give sincere homage to the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish on the way, for his wrath will soon be kindled.“

We have a choice to make. An eternal choice. Jesus is in charge. He is king! We must submit to and worship Him.

Ephesians 1:20-22 “according to that working of the strength of his might which he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and made him to sit at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule, authority, power, dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in that which is to come. He put all things in subjection under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things for the assembly,”

For additional worship: Psalm 2 (Kiss the Son) featuring Shane Heilman

Additional notes: Just as we are to “meditate” (Psalm 1:2) on the word of God, the peoples “plot” (Psalm 2:1) against God. It’s the same root word!

Psalm 2:1-6 “Why do the nations rage, and the peoples plot a vain thing? The kings of the earth take a stand, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his Anointed, saying, ‘Let’s break their bonds apart, and cast their cords from us.’ He who sits in the heavens will laugh. The Lord will have them in derision. Then he will speak to them in his anger, and terrify them in his wrath: ‘Yet I have set my King on my holy hill of Zion.’ ”

Psalm 2 is a royal Psalm that rejoices in God’s sovereignty over both His own people and the surrounding nations. Although rejoicing in the rule of a Davidic king and a Davidic dynasty, it looks forward to a time when God’s own Son, the anointed one, the Messiah, will sit on the throne and rule the earth! Peter actually quoted from this Psalm and formally identifies the anointed one as Jesus:

Acts 4:25-26 “who by the mouth of your servant David, said, ‘Why do the nations rage, and the peoples plot a vain thing? The kings of the earth take a stand, and the rulers plot together, against the Lord, and against his Christ.’ “

We are reminded here that the nations rage against God and against His people. I believe that this in one of three times in the Bible (all in the Psalms) where we see God laugh. People think that they have power and authority. Nations think that they have control and might. Kings think that they are sovereign. They may even join together to try to thwart God. But they will fail! There is only one who has all power and authority. One who is sovereign. One who is in control. God! No-one can defeat or destroy Him, so He laughs. And he shares that authority with the anointed one who sits on His throne.

For additional worship: Psalm 2 (Kiss Ye The Son) — Brian Sauve

Psalm 1:1-6 “Blessed is the man who doesn’t walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand on the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the LORD’s law. On his law he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree planted by the streams of water, that produces its fruit in its season, whose leaf also does not wither. Whatever he does shall prosper. The wicked are not so, but are like the chaff which the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked shall not stand in the judgement, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked shall perish.”

The word “blessed” can mean someone who has been favored by God, or someone who is happy. We are both blessed and happy when we delight in God’s Word. Instead of living like sinners we should live (walk) like God details in His Word. The Word of God is what we should stand for and be associated with (stand, sit). The word of God is what we should constantly think about, like a dove cooing or a lion growling (meditate).

Joshua 1:8 “This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it; for then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall have good success.”

When we do what God wants we’ll be prosperous, and this happens even without any special intervention from Him. We’re told in God’s Word not to steal. We risk our liberty if we do. We’re told in God’s Word not to commit adultery. We risk our relationships and our health if we do. We’re told in God’s Word not to lie. We risk our reputations if we do. We’re told in God’s Word that we need a Savior. God warns us repeatedly what will happen if we ignore that! God has our best interests at heart, and we would do well to listen to Him.

For additional worship: “Blessed is the One”

Note: All Biblical text will be taken from the World English Bible British/International Edition. The World English Bible (WEB) was created by Michael Paul Johnson with help from volunteers and is an updated revision of the American Standard Version from 1901. The WEB aims to provide speakers of modern English with an easily understood version of the Bible. It is in the public domain and available worldwide. “LORD” in this translation denotes Israel’s personal name for God.